Riding Toward Tomorrow
by LuckyxLabradoodlexLoverx7
Summary: Full Summary Inside
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – I own nothing of the Thoroughbred book series. Everything belongs to the wonderful Joanna Campbell. 'Nuff said.

_**Italics **_are thoughts and flashbacks.

A/N: Thanks to my friend Marie S Zachary for the title idea.

Summary: AU: Makaylah Townsend – daughter of Parker Townsend and Christina Reese – is an expert horsewoman. But when she gets thrown from her horse, she fractures her wrist and is afraid she'll never ride again. Will a miracle happen or is it the end of the line for Makaylah?

Rating: T

Genre: Drama/General

* * *

CHAPTER ONE

Mikki Townsend sat up and stretched. She glanced behind her at the alarm clock – 5:45 AM the red letters glared back at her. Mikki smiled and climbed out of bed, hoping to get a quick ride in before heading to school. She quickly put on jeans and a sweatshirt before heading to the barn.

The cold Kentucky wind nipped at her ears and nose, but Mikki didn't care. She was almost to the barn when a movement caught her eye. Four white-tailed deer leapt out of the brush and out of sight. Mikki took a deep breath and entered the barn. Twenty Thoroughbreds had their heads hanging over their stall doors, anxiously waiting their breakfasts.

"Hi mom. Hi dad." Mikki greeted her parents as she entered the feed shed and helped ration out grain for the horses.

Mikki measured out the grain for her horse – a four-year-old light bay Thoroughbred colt named Rocky Horror Picture Show, named after her favorite movie. As Rocky ate, Mikki took off his light sheet and leg wraps, inspecting his long legs, seeing if there were any cuts or scrapes on them.

"Good boy." Mikki praised her horse, exiting the stall. She went back to the feed shed to measure out the grain for her best friend's horse, Splash of Color, a dapple-gray Thoroughbred mare.

"Hi girl." Mikki greeted the gentle mare. She also removed the light sheet and leg wraps, also inspecting the mare's delicate legs and body for scrapes or cuts she may have gotten during the night. Mikki smiled and exited the stall.

"Honey, you have some time before school if you want to ride Rocky for a while." Parker told his daughter.

"Actually, I was going to visit Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town." Mikki told him, mentioning two of the mares who were about to foal.

"Go ahead, sweetie. Your mother and I will be up at the house." Parker told his daughter. Mikki smiled and headed to the broodmare barn.

Alec, the broodmare groom, smiled as Mikki entered.

"Thought you would be here." Alec told Mikki, leading the way to Little Big Town's stall. The big black mare stood in the middle of her stall, licking her newborn foal.

"Aww! What a cute baby!" Mikki whispered, looking at Alec.

"She had a colt." Alec said, looking at the mare and foal.

Mikki stayed with Little Big Town and her baby before going to check on Lady Antebellum. The chestnut mare was close to foaling, but probably wouldn't deliver until earlier in the week.

Mikki visited some other special broodmares – Wonder's Victory, Bella's Wish, Over the Moon and Ghost – before exiting the barn and sprinting back up to the house. The sun was just coming up as Mikki poured herself a bowl of cereal and drank some orange juice.

"So, is Jennifer coming over to ride today after school?" Christina asked, not looking up from making scrambled eggs.

"You always know the answer to that, mom." Mikki answered, taking a bite of cereal.

After Mikki finished her cereal, it was time to catch the bus to go to school.

"Oh, before I forget, mom, dad, Little Big Town had her foal – a little colt." Mikki said, grabbing her book bag and ran out the door.

At the bus stop, Mikki looked around for her best friend and fellow horse nut, Jennifer Adams. Mikki smiled when she saw Jenn's red hair glowing in the sunlight.

"Hey." Mikki greeted her best friend.

"Hey!" Jenn greeted her back.

"Wanna come for a ride after school?" Mikki asked as the girls got on the bus.

"Sure." Jenn answered as the girls slid into a seat towards the middle of the bus.

The bus dropped them off at Henry Clay High School at 7:45. School started at 8:15 and ended at 2:45.

School finally ended and both girls ran for the bus, talking and laughing the whole time.

"So, where do you want to ride?" Mikki asked once the girls got off the bus and headed to the training barn, where Rocky and Splash were stabled.

"Oh, Little Big Town had her baby. Want to see him really quick?" Mikki inquired. Jenn nodded and followed Mikki to the broodmare barn.

"Hi girl." Mikki greeted the mare. Little Big Town nickered and flicked her ears back and forth, listening to Mikki's kind words. Jenn laughed as Little Big Town nudged her for some carrots. Jenn rolled her eyes and handed Little Big Town a carrot.

"Have you thought of a name for the little guy?" Jenn asked.

"I've been debating between a few names. I was thinking that his sire is Jazzman's Fire, what about Little Fire?" Mikki said.

"Little Fire – I like it!" Jenn exclaimed, nearly startling the little colt. "Sorry boy."

"I'll talk to my dad about it if you want to get Rocky and Splash groomed and tacked up." Mikki said. Jenn nodded and headed back to the training barn while Mikki went to find her father. She found him in the stallion barn, looking at a young stallion named Practically Perfect.

"Dad – I thought of a name for Little Big Town's son." Mikki told Parker.

"Really? What?" Parker asked, his eyes focused on Perfect's right front leg.

"Little Fire."

Parker put Perfect's leg down and turned to face his daughter.

"I love it, sweetie."

Mikki smiled and headed to the training barn. She slowed to a walk when she entered, as to not startle the young horses in training.

"Hey. What did your dad say?" Jenn asked, leading Splash into the sunlight. Mikki followed behind her leading Rocky.

"He liked it." Mikki said, checking her girth and stirrups before mounting Rocky. Jenn held Rocky's bridle while Mikki mounted. Jenn had a groom nearby hold Splash's bridle while she mounted.

"There's no one on the oval – want to ride them there?" Mikki asked, looking for the trainer Charlie Burke Junior. Charlie was in his mid-thirties and acted exactly like his father before him.

"Okay." Jenn answered, pointing Splash for the training oval.

"Girls, where do you think you're going?" Charlie asked, walking over to the girls.

"We're going for a ride in the oval – is that a crime?" Mikki inquired.

"No, but be careful. Walking, trotting and cantering only – no racing." Charlie told the girls, letting go of Rocky's bridle.

Once the girls were in the oval, Mikki steered Rocky so he was on the outside. She motioned for Jenn to do the same with Splash.

Twice around the oval, the girls motioned for their horses to trot. Suddenly, one of the horses in training came up on the outside, startling Rocky. Rocky broke into a gallop and chased the other horse around the arena. Mikki tried not to panic as she stood in the stirrups to slow Rocky down. He wasn't listening.

"Rocky, whoa boy. Easy." Mikki told him. Rocky shook his head and ran faster. Mikki eased up on the reins, still talking to Rocky in a soothing voice. She saw that Jenn had exited the oval and dismounted Splash.

Finally, Rocky started to slow down, which Mikki was thankful for. She patted his sweaty shoulder and pulled him to a trot and eventually a walk. She exited the oval and dismounted Rocky, who was now breathing heavily.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Charlie asked, outraged. Mikki looked down at the ground as the trainer lectured her. She could feel the tears in her eyes as she led Rocky back to the training barn. Splash stuck her head over her stall door as Mikki put Rocky in his stall and untacked him.

"What's going on here?" Christina asked, making her way over to Mikki.

"Charlie yelled at me." Mikki said, the tears streaming down her cheeks. Christina entered Rocky's stall and helped Mikki untack Rocky.

"Why did Charlie yell at you?" Christina asked, taking the saddle off Rocky's back as Mikki put on his sheet. Mikki told her mother what happened as she buckled the sheet onto Rocky's back.

"I'll have your father talk to him." Christina told Mikki, patting Rocky's hindquarters as she exited the stall.

Once Mikki was done with Rocky, she went to the broodmare barn.

"Hey Mikki! Wait up!" Jenn called after her friend. Mikki looked over her shoulder and smiled as Jenn caught up to her.

"I was going to visit some of the mares that hadn't foaled yet." Mikki told her friend, entering the broodmare barn.

"Why did Charlie yell at you?" Jenn asked, stopping at the feed room and stuffed her pockets with carrots. Mikki explained as they visited the mares that hadn't foaled yet.

"Hey Victory." Jenn greeted Ashleigh's Wonder's great-great granddaughter. The light chestnut mare was due to foal any day now. Victory had had four foals – three colts and a filly. Recently, her oldest colt, Breaking Bank, had won all three legs of the Triple Crown.

The girls visited Ghost, Bella's Wish and Over the Moon before visiting the mares that had foaled already.

The girls walked all the way down the barn where Black Cat was stabled. The mare had delivered twins, which was rare with horses. Black Cat was lying in the straw, both her foals' heads on her hindquarters. All three were sleeping peacefully.

"What are you naming these fillies?" Jenn asked Mikki.

"Well, I was thinking, since there's two of us and two of them, so we could each name one. I already named the black filly with the back socks – her name is Ashleigh's Whisper." Mikki told her friend. Her grandmother, Ashleigh Reese, had passed away three years ago. Mikki thought it would be special to name a foal after her grandmother.

"I love that name." Jenn complimented, focusing on the other filly. She was a deep brown, almost black with a snip at the end of her nose. "Jazz Cat."

"Because of her sire?" Mikki asked. Black Cat had been bred to Parker's prize stallion named King of Jazz – a pure black Thoroughbred. Sadly, King passed away two days after being bred to Black Cat due to a massive colic attack.

The girls spent some time with Cat, Whisper and Jazz before exiting the barn.

"I have to go home now. I'll see you tomorrow for our lesson with James, right?" Jenn asked.

"You bet. I probably will ride one of his horses instead of bringing Rocky." Mikki answered. James Nelson was the son of Samantha and Tor Nelson, now the owner of Whisperwood, the jumping stable that he took over from his parents after they died.

"I'm going to try that show in September – why don't you sign up with me?" Jenn suggested. Mikki shrugged her shoulders. She was into jumping and dressage, but she was more interested in racing. She was sixteen years old and was hoping to ride in her first race soon. Both her parents were eventers – they had competed in jumping and dressage. Her mother was pleased that she wanted to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and become a jockey. However, her father wanted her to do eventing.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Mikki told her best friend as Jenn's mother's car pulled into the driveway.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Do you think you could bring Splash over?" Jenn asked. Mikki nodded and watched her friend drive off.

Mikki spent the rest of the night helping her parents with feeding the horses, doing homework and taking care of her dog – a black lab named Lacey.

That night, Mikki dreamed that she was a famous jockey, sitting aboard a horse that she had trained herself.

She hoped that her dream would come true, sooner or later.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

"Heels down, toes up and rise on the diagonal." James Nelson instructed to his group of five riders. The group was now trotting around the arena while James stood in the middle, instructing.

"Good, now move your horses into a collected canter." He told the class. "Catie, try to gather Lance under you a little bit to get the canter you want."

An hour later the class ended. James reminded his students of the upcoming horse show and that there was still some slots open if people wanted to ride.

"Mikki, could I talk to you for a minute?" James asked, coming to find Mikki, who was cooling down Collage, one of his horses.

"Sure, whoa boy." Mikki told the big bay gelding before turning her attention to James. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you were going to ride in the show coming up." James asked.

"I wasn't planning on it, but I'm happy to reconsider."

"Cool. So, which horse are you planning to take?"

"I was gonna take Rocky, but he's lame right now."

"Why not take Collage – you look great on him."

"I might actually do that. Thanks for the suggestion."

"You're welcome. I would like to give you more lessons on him, if you would like."

"That would be great. I'm free tomorrow after school."

"I can't do tomorrow afternoon – I'm looking at a new mare to add to the brood."

"When are you available then?"

"Tomorrow night."

"What time?"

"Six thirty."

"As far as I know, I have nothing going on tomorrow."

"Great. I'll see you then."

"Okay."

Mikki clucked to Collage and continued cooling him down. Jenn had already left, so it was just her in the barn.

After about five minutes, Collage was cool enough to be put in his stall. Mikki threw his light sheet over the big horse, buckled it in the right spots and exited the stall, giving Collage a pat on the hindquarters as she left.

* * *

"Okay, point him towards the jump and as you do, look between his ears and squeeze his sides slightly." James instructed, watching Mikki canter around the ring mounted on Collage. Mikki nodded and pointed Collage towards the first jump – a double oxer. Collage shortened his stride and glided over the jump. Mikki smiled and cantered towards the next jump.

An hour later, James and Mikki cleared out the jumps while Collage was tied to one end of the arena, a lead rope clipped to his halter.

"Now that we're done with jumping, do you want to go over the dressage pattern?" James asked. Mikki nodded and put her helmet back on. She then went to get Collage and remounted him, adjusting her stirrups so that they were the correct length and tightened her girth.

"I'm ready now." Mikki told James, giving Collage a pat on the neck as she warmed him up at a walk around the arena. James called out the pattern as Mikki practiced it, trying to keep Collage collected under her as much as she could.

"Good boy." Mikki praised as the two of them cantered sideways, Collage changing the lead every other step. It was obvious he was trained for this sort of thing.

"I think you two are ready for the show in September." James said as Mikki cooled Collage.

"I think we are, too – he was great." Mikki praised, giving Collage a peppermint – his favorite treat. Collage gobbled it up greedily and sniffed Mikki's pockets for more.

"Sorry buddy I'm all out." Mikki told Collage as she brushed him out, getting rid of any dirt or sweat. She then put his sheet and leg wraps on him, telling him what a good boy he was.

"I'll see you later James." Mikki called as she exited the barn.

"Bye Mikki." He called back.

Mikki exited Whisperwood and made her way back to Whitebrook, thinking about her lesson and the show.

"Hi honey." Christina greeted her daughter as Mikki entered the house.

"Hey mom." Mikki echoed, helping herself to a bottle of water.

"How was your lesson?" Christina asked.

"Pretty good. James has a mount for me to ride. His name is Collage." Mikki stopped herself – she was rambling – a habit of hers.

"I just checked on Rocky – he's pretty miserable." Christina told Mikki.

"Poor boy. Do you think a walk would help him?" Mikki inquired.

"It might. He's just starting to put some weight on his foot, so I would walk him up and down the aisle, okay?" Christina instructed. Mikki nodded and headed down to the barn, grabbing an apple on the way out.

She reached the training barn and entered. All the horses had their heads over their stall doors, looking for some attention. Mikki stopped to pet some of her favorites before making her way to Rocky's stall.

"Hi baby." Mikki cooed to her gelding. Rocky's head shot up as he limped towards her. Mikki frowned as she crouched down to check his foot. She stood up and patted his shoulder. She then fished the apple out of her vest pocket and fed it to Rocky.

"I'll be right back, silly." Mikki told her horse, exiting the stall and found a lead rope on the hook beside Rocky's stall. She then stepped back in the stall and clipped the lead rope to Rocky's halter. He lunged forward, then snorted in pain. Mikki soothed him as they walked up and down the wide barn aisle. She talked to him in a soothing voice, making sure to go slow. Fleetwood Mac – Fleet Goddess' six-year-old colt – pinned his ears flat against his head as Mikki and Rocky passed by his stall.

"Mac – no." Mikki warned the blood bay colt. Rocky didn't pay attention to the other horse.

After walking six times up and down the aisle, Mikki decided that Rocky had enough walking for one day. She put him in his stall, removed his lead rope and put on his sheet. She was putting on his leg wraps when she heard a loud bang at the end of the row.

"Dad?" Mikki called, exiting Rocky's stall. She made her way to the barn office and saw that her father was nowhere in sight. She exited the office and made her way to where the noise was coming from.

"Dancer! You freaking scared me!" Mikki exclaimed, opening the stall door. Shy Dancer was at the back of his stall, playing with his grain bucket. It clattered to the concrete floor, which was the cause of the bang. The gray gelding shook his head, as if he was proud of himself for getting the bucket out of the holder. Mikki rolled her eyes and picked it up and put it back in the holder, securing it so that the gelding couldn't get it out again.

Mikki then patted the gelding's neck and exited the stall. She made her way over to the broodmare barn before going back up to the house. She slid the door open and stepped inside. She heard groaning and hushed voices at the end of the barn. Mikki quickened her pace and made her way to where the commotion was coming from.

"Dad? What's going on?" Mikki asked, finding her father in the small crowd.

"Lady Antebellum is in labor and has been for the past fourteen hours." Parker told his daughter, not taking his eyes off the chestnut mare within the birthing stall. Lady was pacing, the top half of her beautiful tail wrapped tightly so it would be out of the way when her baby came. She swatted the occasional invisible fly, but other than that, she paced. Mikki peeked inside and saw that the sawdust had been replaced with straw, so that it would cushion the foal when it was born.

"Look!" Parker exclaimed after three hours (he and Mikki were camped out in front of the birthing stall) later. Mikki looked up from writing her English paper to see that Lady had gone down in the straw and was now lying on her side. Lady groaned as a strong contraction seared through her.

"Do you want me to call Dr. Woods yet?" Mikki asked, putting her homework aside as Parker entered Lady's stall.

"Not yet. Not until Lady's water breaks." Parker told his daughter. Mikki nodded and entered the stall, standing next to her father. Lady let out another groan as another contraction seared through her.

"How far apart are her contractions?" Dr. Woods asked.

"About ten minutes apart – she doesn't show any signs of slowing down." Mikki told him, pacing up and down the aisle. Her father told her to call the vet when Lady's water broke.

"I'll be right there." Dr. Woods told Mikki. Mikki nodded and hung up the phone. She went to the feed room to get the muck rake and muck bucket so that she could get the soiled straw out of the stall and replaced it with fresh straw.

Half an hour later, Dr. Woods arrived and went straight to Lady's stall. Mikki entered and held Lady's halter (she had gotten up just before the vet came) while Dr. Woods examined her.

"The foal seems to be in place, just keep her comfortable. To ease up the contractions, I would suggest walking her up and down the aisle for a while." Dr. Woods suggested.

It was then that Lady fell to her knees. Mikki let go of the mare's halter as Lady rolled over on her side, kicking her legs out.

"Easy girl." Dr. Woods soothed Lady.

"What's going on?" Mikki asked, looking over the vet's shoulder.

"I can see a foreleg." Dr. Woods said, moving Lady's tail aside as she let out a grunt and more of the foal emerged, this time the forelegs and head. Mikki could tell the foal was going to be a chestnut, just like its mother.

Fifteen minutes later, Lady was nursing her new foal – a colt. He was so handsome – chestnut like his mother, but he had a blaze that ended as a snip at the end of his nose and two socks – one on his right front leg and the other on his back left leg.

"He's so perfect – like a dream." Jenn said when she came over the following afternoon. Both mother and baby were fast asleep in the straw.

"I know – I can't find the perfect name for him, so I want you – as my best friend – to name him."

"I think you already named him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Like A Dream."

"That's not a name."

"It is to me."

Mikki rolled her eyes and exited the broodmare barn, Jenn following right behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

The morning of the horse show dawned bright and early. Mikki moaned and rolled out of bed, grabbing her garment bag which contained her show jacket and cream-colored breeches. She was wearing her show shirt under her zip-up sweater and was wearing sweatpants.

She grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge and ate it quickly. She then brushed her teeth and headed over to Whisperwood.

"Hey." Jenn greeted her, trying to hold onto Splash's lead rope. The mare was dancing at the end, afraid to be loaded into the trailer.

"Hey. Need a hand?" Mikki asked. Jenn nodded and handed Splash's lead rope over to Mikki. Mikki talked soothingly to the large mare as they approached the trailer. The mare dug in her heels as soon as they reached the ramp.

"Get in!" James shouted, startling Splash. She squealed and sidestepped into the trailer. Mikki was jerked in after her, trying to keep up with the mare.

"Good girl." Mikki soothed, tying Splash's lead rope into a knot. She smiled as James handed her the next horse to be loaded – Collage.

"Hi sweet boy." Mikki greeted the Anglo-Arab gelding. She laughed when he ducked his head so he could be loaded comfortably. Mikki patted his shoulder and exited the trailer, anxious to get going.

"Are your parents coming?" Jenn asked as they climbed into the van that James' fiancée, Jill, would be driving.

"Yeah, but not until later – they have a lot to do today." Mikki answered. "What about yours?"

"Mom is, but dad has to work. Also Simon and Carly are coming." Jenn answered, mentioning her twin ten-year-old siblings.

"Oh my God, I'm so nervous!" Catie chimed in. She twisted a blond lock of hair around her fingers.

"It's okay – you and Lance make a great team." Jenn told the young rider. By the look of Catie, she looked to be thirteen or fourteen.

"This is my first eventing competition." Catie told Jenn and Mikki.

"You'll do fine. Lance is a great horse and you're a great rider." Mikki said, looking out the window. The horse trailer and van were slowly starting to move out of Whisperwood's driveway and to the fairgrounds, where the event would take place. There wasn't much talking, so Mikki put in her ear buds and listened to music. Jenn, however, was talking to some of the other riders that were going.

Mikki blinked when she felt the sun in her eyes. Opening her eyes, she saw that they were at the fairgrounds.

"We're in ZZ Barn, stalls twenty through thirty." James told the riders as they exited the van. They nodded and went to register for classes and their horses.

Once that was done, Jenn, Mikki, Catie and the other five riders unloaded the horses, tack and food from the trailer.

"Easy Lance. Good boy." Mikki soothed the large mocha-colored Thoroughbred as he whinnied to other horses. A distant horse answered his neigh. Mikki put him in stall twenty-six, which was next to Collage. The two horses were friends and were always stabled next to each other.

Fifteen minutes later, the horses were in their stalls and munching on hay. The riders were going over patterns and eating food they bought from the concession stand. They were also pinning numbers on the back of their jackets. Jenn was number twenty-four and Mikki was number fifty-six.

"Want to walk the coarse?" Jenn asked Mikki.

"Um, sure." Mikki answered, not looking up from braiding Collage's tail. Jenn waited for her friend to finish braiding Collage's tail before walking the jumping trail with her.

"You okay?" Mikki asked Jenn as they walked the pattern with the other riders.

"Yeah. Just a little nervous." Jenn answered, looking from one jump to the next. They were spaced four feet apart, which was more than enough room for a rider to collect their horse before moving on to the next jump.

The group finished walking the course just in time for the first class to begin – Showmanship. Mikki wouldn't be riding until the fifth class of the day – Beginning Jumping.

Mikki and Jenn quickly went to the booth to find out which order they would be jumping in. Mikki would be going seventh, whereas Jenn would be going first.

Mikki watched Jenn go over the jumps with ease. Splash was a little overprepared for a jump and went early, knocking over a pole, which would make Jenn lose points.

"Next up, number fifty-six Makaylah Townsend riding Life's Collage." A voice on the loudspeaker announced. Mikki took a deep breath and mounted Collage. She trotted to the arena and went to the starter box. She turned Collage around so that he couldn't see the course.

_DING!_

Once the bell rang and the door opened, Collage was off like a shot. Mikki smiled as they cantered towards the first jump – a simple fence. Collage cleared it and cantered towards the next jump – a double oxer.

Everything was going great until they reached the second to last jump – a water jump. Mikki knew that Collage had a fear of water, but urged him to jump the fence anyway. Collage threw his head up and refused the jump. Mikki gently whacked his hindquarters with the crop. She circled and had him trot the jump, seeing as there was no room to canter.

"Over." Mikki commanded through clenched teeth. Collage hopped over the jump, but caught his hind leg on something. He let out a terrified whinny and tried to free his leg, unseating Mikki. She clung to the horse's neck for dear life, but was thrown to the ground when Collage hopped to the right. Mikki heard something snap and she knew that she had broken her wrist.

The vet came over, along with Mikki's parents and James. Collage was throwing his head up as he tried to free his leg. The jump attendants came over and helped pull the jump apart. Mikki had to avoid her eyes as blood gushed out of Collage's back leg.

"Will he be okay?" Mikki asked the vet.

"I don't know – he may have severed an artery in his leg." The vet answered, dressing the wound. The wound was deep and the blood wouldn't clot.

"Excuse me." Mikki excused herself and went to the bushes. She felt the bile rise in her throat and she vomited. She couldn't stand the sight – or smell – of blood.

"Sweetie, are you all right?" Christina asked, looking at her daughter. Mikki shook her head and showed her mother her wrist.

"Let's get you to the hospital." Christina told her daughter. Mikki nodded, too weak to object.

At the hospital, it was discovered that she had broken her left wrist. Mikki felt tears in her eyes as the doctor put a blue cast on Mikki's arm – going from her wrist to her elbow.

"You'll need to keep the cast on for six weeks, then I'll fit you for a smaller cast when that heals. You'll need the smaller cast for two weeks. I also don't want you getting the cast wet, so baths only. Also, no riding or dangerous activities until your wrist is completely healed, understand?" the doctor asked. Mikki nodded her head sadly as Christina squeezed Mikki's shoulder.

"It'll be all right." Christina reassured her daughter as they drove home. That's when Mikki's cell phone went off. It was James.

"Hello?"

"Mikki, I'm sorry, but I had to put Collage down – he lost a lot of blood and the wound wouldn't clot." James told Mikki, his voice sad.

"Thanks for letting me know." Mikki told him, feeling tears in her eyes.

"He loved you, you know."

"I know – I loved him, too."

"I'll call you later."

"Okay." Mikki whispered, feeling her voice break. She hung up the phone and burst into tears. Christina pulled the truck over and hugged her daughter, stroking her long strawberry-blond hair.

"Shh, baby, shh. It's all right." Christina soothed, hugging her daughter close.

It was silent the rest of the way home. Mikki ignored a call from Jenn – she felt like she couldn't talk to anyone right now.

It was almost dark when the truck pulled into Whitebrook. Mikki didn't wait for the truck to stop, she hopped out and made a beeline for her room, slamming the door behind her. She threw herself down on her bed and sobbed.

After a while, she stopped crying and turned on the TV. She channel surfed until she found the movie Chicago. She watched it, totally engrossed. It didn't have anything to do with horses, which Mikki liked right now. She didn't want anything to do with horses at the moment.

"Honey? May I come in?" Parker asked.

"Sure." Mikki answered, her voice monotone. Parker smiled and entered Mikki's room, sitting at the foot of her bed.

"Your mother told me what happened and I have to say, I'm really sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yeah – get Collage back!" Mikki sobbed. Parker sighed and hugged Mikki, running his fingers through her hair.

"You have other horses in your life, though. You have Rocky and Little Fire and all the other foals, who will need to be weaned soon. There's the next crop of yearlings who will need someone to ride them while they're in training for races." Parker said, rocking his daughter back and forth, like he did when she was younger.

Parker decided to leave his daughter alone and went to see Christina. She was in the kitchen, scrubbing a pot. He kissed the back of her neck and ran a hand down her back.

"How's Mikki doing?" Christina asked, not bothering to look up from the pot.

"She's all right. I don't know what to do here, Chris." Parker told his wife. Christina stopped scrubbing the pan and turned so that she was facing her husband.

"She just lost the horse that she was growing close to. There's no chapter in the parenting book about how to deal with this sort of thing." Parker sighed, picking up a Horse and Rider magazine.

Christina sighed and brought a plate of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk to Mikki. She knocked on her daughter's bedroom door and entered.

"I have your favorite cookies for you, if you want them." Christina said, putting the cookies and milk on the bedside table. Mikki acknowledged they were there, but didn't look away from the movie she was watching. Christina sighed and exited her daughter's room, closing the door behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey everyone, just updating to say that there is only ONE more chapter after this. I also apologize for this chapter being too short.**

**-Lucky**

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

A year later, Mikki was riding Rocky in the indoor arena. Mikki kept Rocky at a trot, trying to do a sitting trot. She kept herself together, even though Rocky's trot was rough.

"Hey girl." Mikki greeted Jenn as she cooled Rocky down.

"Hey. Ready to ride the yearlings?" Jenn asked, tucking her riding helmet under her arm. Mikki nodded and put Rocky's blanket over him, along with his thicker leg wraps.

"Now I am." Mikki responded, following her best friend to further down the aisle where the horses in training were stabled. Mikki saw her father holding two horse's bridles. Mikki smiled when she recognized the horses.

"Dad, you don't have to introduce us. I know who these horses are." Mikki said, rubbing the chestnut's blaze. The bay filly nudged Mikki, wanting some attention.

"Hi pretty girls." Jenn greeted the fillies.

"Jenn – you're gonna ride Jasmine Lilly. Mikki, you're riding Hopeful's Choice." Parker told the girls. Mikki nodded and took the bay's bridle. Hopeful's Choice was the second daughter of Wonder's Victory. Jasmine Lilly was Bella's Wish's only foal – the mare died when Jasmine was four-months-old.

"Sounds good, Mr. Townsend." Jenn told Parker, mounting the beautiful chestnut. Mikki was already mounted on Hope. Both girls pointed their horses toward the training oval.

"Alright girls, I want these fillies to just do a light breeze. Then at the quarter pole, let 'em loose until the back turn." Charlie told the girls. They nodded and rode the fillies to the oval.

"Which way do you want us to go, Charlie?" Jenn asked the trainer, shortening her reins.

"Clockwise." Charlie responded. The girls nodded in unison and rode into the oval, both horses dancing excitingly on their toes.

"I guess they're ready to go." Mikki laughed, also shortening her reins.

The girls warmed the horses up at their regular gaits before breezing them.

"Good. Now let them go!" Charlie yelled over the chilly January wind. The girls nodded and leaned forward on their horses' necks, scrubbing their hands up and down their necks. The horses burst forward, manes and tails flapping in the wind.

As the girls came down the clubhouse turn, Charlie motioned for the girls to go even faster. The girls clicked and scrubbed their hands up and down their horses necks, gently flicking their crops against the horses flanks.

Once the horses had galloped twice around the track, Charlie motioned for the girls to slow their horses down. The girls stood in the stirrups and spoke gently to their mounts. The fillies slowed down and were now walking.

"How did they feel?" Charlie asked once the girls exited the arena.

"Great." The girls answered in unison. They then dismounted their horses and put their reins over their heads, turning them over to the grooms so that they could get different mounts.

Two hours later, the girls were done riding and were now waiting for the bus.

"Which was your favorite horse to ride?" Mikki asked, quickly putting her hair into a ponytail so that her hat would fit more snugly.

"Probably Silent Thunder – I love his canter." Jenn answered, not bothering to hesitate.

"Mine was probably Little Fire, because he was one of the first foals I named. It was wonderful to ride him." Mikki told her friend as they got on the bus.

"Switching subjects, are you going to the New Year's dance with anyone?" Jenn asked, smiling as some of their other friends boarded the bus. Mikki shook her head. "Why not?"

"It's the same day I go for my jockey's license. Dad says if I pass the test, I can ride in races this year." Mikki told her friends. All of them squealed with delight.

Mikki was happy to have horses back in her life.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is the final chapter of Riding Toward Tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read & review. This is the only Thoroughbred story I wanted to write.**

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE

Mikki looked between her mount's ears as they galloped down the track. She could hear the roar of the crowd as they headed towards the finish line – she was ahead by two lengths.

"C'mon, California Dream." Mikki whispered in her mount's ear. The horse zoomed under the wire as the other horses galloped behind them. Mikki smiled as she talked with the reporter, also on horseback, pointing Dream towards the Winner's Circle.

Once the photo shoot was finished in the Winner's Circle, Mikki dismounted Dream and walked her to her stall.

"I am so proud of you." Parker said, coming up behind Mikki.

"Thanks. She did really well, I'm proud of her." Mikki told her father, handing Dream's reins to a nearby groom while she went to the jockey's changing rooms to change into her street clothes.

"Congrats on your race." A fellow female jockey said.

"Thanks. I'm Mikki Townsend."

"Sara Green."

"Nice to meet you. Which stable do you ride for?"

"Townsend Acres. You?"

"Whitebrook."

"They have some nice horses."

"So does TA."

The other jockey smiled and put her T-shirt on.

"Who was your mount?" Sara asked as she and Mikki exited the changing room.

"California Dream. Yours?"

"Townsend Blue Devil."

The girls ended up chatting for a little longer until a trainer Mikki didn't know called Sara over.

"I gotta go. It was nice talking to you."

"You, too. Hey, are you on Facebook?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Of course. I'll friend you."

"Cool – my picture is of me on a dark brown horse."

"Okay. I'll friend you later."

"SARA!"

"I'm coming! Don't get your panties in a twist!"

With that, Sara headed to where the voice was coming from. Mikki watched her go before walking to where her parents and adopted brother, Heath, were waiting.

"You were awesome Mikki!" Heath told Mikki as they got in the van to head back to Whitebrook. The horses were already in the horse trailer and on their way back to Whitebrook.

"Thank you, Heath." Mikki told her fifteen-year-old brother. He loved horses as much as Christina, Parker and Mikki did, but had never been on one himself. He had dark curly hair, green eyes and was about a foot taller than Mikki. He also had Cerebral Palsy.

"Someday, I want to ride in a race, too."

"Maybe you will."

Christina looked in the rearview mirror at her children, smiling at them.

The van pulled into the Whitebrook driveway half an hour later. Everyone was smiling and laughing, but stopped when they saw the vet's truck parked outside the barn where the horses in training were kept.

"Uh oh." Heath muttered as Christina, Parker and Mikki jumped out of the truck, Heath stumbling after them.

When they reached the barn, they saw the vet outside Splash of Color's stall. Mikki's heart leapt to her throat – Splash was Jenn's horse.

"What's wrong?" Mikki asked the vet.

"She's having a difficult time breathing. I called Jenn and she's on her way over." The vet told Mikki. Mikki looked at her best friend's horse – she was on her side, breathing labored.

A soft whinny next to Mikki made her jump. Turing around, she saw Rocky, ears pricked and a curious look in his eyes. Mikki absentmindly rubbed Rocky's blaze.

"What's wrong with Splash?" Jenn asked, running towards where her mare was stabled. Splash weakly raised her head and let out a little nicker.

"She had a colic attack and now there's a giant knot in her stomach." The vet explained.

"Maybe I could walk her – that would make her better, right?" Jenn asked the vet. He shook his head.

"Making her get up would only hurt her more." The vet said.

"I don't want to put her down, but I don't want her to suffer, either." Jenn said, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Dear God, I know I don't pray very much and I'm sorry for that, but we need a miracle here. Please help Splash feel better. Amen." Mikki quietly prayed.

"Heath, come on up to the house. Let's leave them alone." Parker whispered in Heath's ear. He nodded and followed his parents up to the house, knowing that Mikki would update him as to what was happening.

The three of them – Mikki, Jenn and the vet – stayed all night outside Splash's stall. At one point, Mikki moved Rocky into a vacant stall and cleaned out Rocky's stall so that she could set up sleeping bags for the three of them.

"We should watch her in shifts, like the vet said." Jenn told Mikki after the vet left. It was six o'clock in the morning and Splash showed no signs of getting better.

Then, when it seemed like all hope was lost, Splash struggled to her feet and put her head over the stall door.

"Neiiiiigh!" Splash neighed without a hint of weakness.

"What the heck?" Mikki asked sleepily.

"Oh my God!" Jenn gasped, getting up from her sleeping bag.

"Splash! She's all right!" Mikki whooped, startling some of the still sleeping horses. Jenn went into Splash's stall while Mikki went to call her parents then the vet.

"What did you do?" the vet asked as he sprinted down the aisle.

"Nothing. I prayed a little bit, but other than that, nothing." Mikki told him as he checked Splash's heartbeat and vitals.

"The knot in her stomach seems to be gone." The vet said when he finished his examination of Splash. The mare stomped her foot and threw her head. Jenn cried into her mare's mane, not believing this was happening.

* * *

Two weeks later, Mikki was riding in her first major competition aboard a horse named Pay N Go. Pay was Mikki's dressage horse while Chocolate Lilly was her jumper. Mikki had paid for both horses using the earnings she won from races.

"And in first place, number 11350 Makaylah Townsend riding Pay N Go." The announcer told the anxious crowd. They cheered loudly as Mikki and Pay exited the arena at a trot. Heath smiled as he pinned the first place ribbon on Pay's bridle.

"Mikki! Hey!" a voice called. Mikki looked over her shoulder and saw Sara walking towards her, leading a pure white horse.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Mikki asked, dismounting Pay.

"I'm watching my twin sister compete. This is her horse, actually." Sara said, stroking the horse's nose.

"Pretty horse." Mikki said, leading the way to where she was stabled.

"Thanks. Yours too."

"I bought him and my jumper with my earnings from races." Mikki said, untacking Pay.

"What are their names?"

"My dressage horse is Pay N Go. My jumper is Chocolate Lilly. What's your sister's horse's name?"

"Roman – it's short for Romanesque."

"Mare or gelding?"

"Mare."

"She's pretty."

"Thanks. I better get her back to my sister. It was great seeing you."

"You, too. When you get a minute, I want to introduce you to my best friend."

"I would love to meet her. I'll be right back." Sara said, clucking to the mare. Roman followed willingly just as Jenn entered the barn, followed by her boyfriend of six months, Peter.

"You were AMAZING!" Jenn told her friend, picking her up and spun her around. Mikki smiled and clipped a lead rope to Pay's halter.

"You guys want to help me wash him?" Mikki asked as Peter grabbed Pay's wash bucket. Both girls laughed and headed to the wash stalls.

"Hey Mikki!" Sara greeted Mikki, tying up a big gray horse.

"Hey Sara. Sara, this is my best friend Jenn and her boyfriend Peter. Jenn and Peter, this is fellow jockey Sara Green." Mikki introduced her friends.

"It's nice to meet you." Jenn and Peter said in unison. Sara smiled and ran the hose over the gray's body. It flattened its ears against its head as Sara snaked the hose up its neck.

"Hey! None of that!" Sara told the horse, smacking it with her hand.

"Your horse?" Peter asked, going over to help Sara bathe the horse.

"No, he belongs to my twin sister. She's in the ring right now, so I volunteered to wash her horses for her." Sara told him, handing him a sponge.

"What's his name?" Jenn asked, gently massaging shampoo into Pay's mane.

"Thunderstorm." Sara answered.

The four of them finished bathing the horses and were walking them when they heard a voice coming from the direction of the ring.

"SARA! WE GOT SECOND!" a voice called. Mikki squinted against the sun to see who it was. A girl that looked exactly like Sara came riding over on Roman.

"Only second?" Sara asked, stopping Thunderstorm. Roman stretched her neck out to sniff Thunderstorm when there was a loud squeal. "Gracie, back up a bit."

Sara introduced Mikki, Jenn and Peter to her sister, Gracie.

"Which one of you is showing?" Gracie asked. Mikki tentatively raised her hand. Gracie looked Mikki up and down. "Good luck, you'll need it." With that, she walked towards the barn up on the hill.

"Ignore her – she's very competitive." Sara told her friends as they walked Pay toward the barn where Mikki's horses were stabled.

"I will. I should probably get ready for jumping. It was great to see you again." Mikki told her friend, hugging her. Sara hugged her back and led Thunderstorm back to the barn on the hill.

"In third place, number 12457 Gracie Green riding Thunderstorm. In second place, number 332459 Addie Van Helsing riding Rookie. In first place, 11350 Makaylah Townsend riding Chocolate Lilly." The voice on the loudspeaker announced. Cheering erupted everywhere as the first, second and third placers trotted out of the arena, then reentered for the victory gallop.

"Two firsts in one day! Amazing!" Heath mused as he and Mikki cooled down Chocolate Lilly. The mare kept whinnying to every horse and person she saw. Mikki rolled her eyes and patted her horse's neck.

"Don't forget, I still have Jumper Showmanship and Dressage Showmanship." Mikki reminded her brother as they headed back to the barn. In front of Pay's stall stood a mother and her young son.

"Momma! I want a horsey like him! He won a first place ribbon!" the son exclaimed. The mother smiled and moved out of the way so that Mikki and Chocolate Lilly could make their way to Lilly's stall.

"Excuse me, where did you get these beautiful horses?" the mother asked.

"I got them at an auction at Keeneland. Why?" Mikki asked, feeding Lilly and Pay carrots from her pocket.

"I was wondering how much your Leopard Applassoa was worth." The mother said. Mikki felt the bottom of her stomach drop, along with the ground beneath her.

"I got him for ten thousand. I got my bay mare for eight thousand."

The woman whistled.

"Mommy, I want the Applassoa!" the little boy whined, already doing the latch on Pay's stall.

"These horses are not for sale." Mikki said, her voice firm.

"MOMMY!" the little boy yelled, startling Pay.

"Nathan, stop! Mommy's trying to get the horsey for you."

"Next up, Jumping Showmanship." The voice on the loudspeaker droned. It was then that Parker came over.

"Mikki, you need to get ready." Parker told his daughter.

"Dad, she's trying to buy Pay." Mikki told her father. Parker stood in front of Pay's stall while Mikki quickly got Lilly ready to go in the ring.

The class of fifteen entered the arena, all of their horses looking beautiful. Mikki pushed the thought of the woman and her annoying son out of her head as she went over the pattern.

_Trot to judge, salute, stand on right side, then left, smile then trot back to spot on fence_.

The judge nodded to Mikki. Mikki remembered the pattern and did it perfectly. She let out a sigh of relief as she trotted out of the arena so that the announcer could say who came in first, second and third. Mikki squealed when she heard she came in second. She and Lilly trotted into the arena, where the judge pinned the red second place ribbon onto Lilly's bridle.

"Good girl." Mikki praised as she and Lilly made their way back to the barn. When she put Lilly in her stall, there was no sign of the woman, her son or her father. Mikki took off Lilly's bridle and put on her halter. She then put on Lilly's purple blanket and shipping boots. She was done for the day.

"Okay, Pay. It's your turn, buddy." Mikki told her horse, opening the stall. Entering the stall, Mikki panicked – there was no sign of her horse. With a shaking hand, she dialed her father's cell phone.

"Don't worry, hun. He's with me, Maria and Nathan." Her father reassured her.

"Wait – they didn't buy him, did they?" Mikki asked, feeling a knot form in her stomach.

"No, honey. We're heading back now. I know you have a class. How did you and Lilly do in Jumping Showmanship?"

"Second."

"Not bad."

"Dad, Dressage Showmanship is next. Where are you?" Mikki asked, panicked.

"We're entering the barn now." Her father answered. Mikki hung up her phone and turned around, disgusted at what she saw – the little boy was _riding _her horse!

"Dad! WTF?" Mikki exclaimed, motioning for the woman to take her son off Pay.

"He wanted to go for a ride on Pay."

"Dad! He's a SHOW HORSE! MY SHOW HORSE!" Mikki exclaimed, feeling tears in her eyes. Parker put Pay in his stall while Mikki calmed down.

"You know what, stay the hell away from my horses!" Mikki told her father, exiting the barn and headed to her class.

After the class was over, Mikki led Pay back to the barn when she heard Sara call her name. Turning around, Mikki saw the fellow jockey come over.

"What's wrong?" Sara asked, seeing tears in Mikki's eyes. Mikki explained what happened as she and Sara got Pay ready to go back to Whitebrook.

"Does your mom know?" Sara asked, putting Pay's yellow sleazy, blanket and shipping boots on Pay.

"No, but I think she will soon." Mikki said, putting Pay's tail in the yellow tail bag.

"Makaylah Lynn Townsend! What gave you the right to yell at your father?" Christina asked, enraged.

"HE WAS USING MY SHOW HORSE AS A DAMN PONY!" Mikki yelled. Sara put the horses in the trailer, along with everything else while Mikki and Christina exchanged words.

"WHY WOULD YOUR FATHER DO THAT? HE KNOWS HOW MUCH YOU VALUE YOUR HORSES!" Christina exclaimed.

"Mom, you don't have to yell." Mikki said, rubbing her ear.

"I was yelling at your father." Christina reassured her daughter. Parker and Mikki explained what happened with the woman and her son.

"Parker, I don't understand why you would let a FOUR-YEAR-OLD ride your daughter's SHOW HORSE!" Christina shouted at her husband. Mikki rolled her eyes and went to help Sara muck out the two stalls she was using.

"Thanks." Mikki thanked her friend.

"You're welcome. So, are you still mad at your dad for what he did?"

"Yeah – I'm going to see if Jenn and her family can keep Rocky, Splash, Pay and Lilly at their place. I don't want my father anywhere near my horses." Mikki told her friend. Jenn and her parents recently bought a farm and a few horses.

"I'm sure they would love to." Sara said. Mikki smiled, thankful to have a friend like Sara.

* * *

Racing season started back up in the early spring. Sara and Mikki were entered in a lot of the same races and often hung out after they were finished for the day.

"Are you liking your mounts?" Sara asked.

"Yeah. They're all pretty good."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Some trainer in California saw me race and wants me to come ride for him."

"That's great! I'm happy for you."

"You don't sound it."

"I am, really. It's just, I can't stop thinking about what happened last summer at the horse show."

"I know. Are you and your dad still talking?"

"Not really. If we do, it's just him telling me which horse to ride."

"At least you have a dad. Mine died when Gracie and I were four."

"What happened?"

"He was out hunting with friends and someone shot him by mistake."

"God, I'm sorry."

"Thanks. My stepdad isn't bad, though."

"That's nice."

"Mikki, tell me what's going on."

"Splash passed away last night, along with Rocky."

"What happened?"

"Colic attacks at the same time."

"I'm so sorry." Sara reached over and hugged Mikki. Mikki smiled and hugged the other girl back.

"Since I'm not riding Pay and Lilly so much, Jenn has offered to ride them for me until I get the time."

"That's nice of her. How are she and Peter doing, by the way?"

"They broke up last week."

There was a pause as the girls listened for the races.

"This is my race coming up now. I'll see you later." Mikki told Sara, getting her racing saddle and went to the scale to weigh in. One fifteen, perfect.

"You ready?" Christina asked, meeting Mikki in the saddling paddock. Mikki nodded and tightened the girth on her mount – a chestnut colt named Rocket Racer.

A moment later, Mikki was mounted on Rocket. They had drawn the number two position, which wasn't bad.

"Remember, keep him away from the rail and find your hole when it's time." Christina told her daughter. Mikki nodded and smiled when a lead pony came to get them.

Mikki heard the cheering of the crowd as she and Rocket passed in front of the grandstand. Mikki smiled at the crowd and let out a chuckle as Rocket bit the lead pony's neck. The other horse pinned its ears back as Rocket danced sideways.

"Could we canter, please?" Mikki asked the rider of the lead pony. The rider nodded and squeezed the lead pony into a canter. Rocket continued to dance sideways, a sign that he was excited.

The race went by so fast, Mikki barely had time to breathe. Somehow, she and Rocket had won the race by a quarter length, beating a slew of other colts.

* * *

Mikki ended up riding horses for another three years, when she decided to call it quits. She bought a stable close to the Lexington track and currently has twenty horses, all of whom she loves equally.

In a way, Mikki had the best of both worlds – racing and eventing, two things she loves more than anything.


End file.
